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If you are thinking about buying an electric car, be warned: it may cost more to run than a petrol machine.
Britons are about to get the chance to order the Nissan Leaf, which Nissan says will be the world's first mass-produced electric car. Nissan says the Leaf's running costs will be as low as 1p per mile. But the BBC reports that it has been given figures from rival car company Mitsubishi saying that, over three years, it could be cheaper to run a petrol car.
The problem is partly because electric cars are quite expensive to buy, and rapidly depreciate in value.
Mitsubishi also produces an electric car, the i-miev.
But the manufacturer even says that the running costs for the i-miev will be higher than for a Fiat 500 1.2, a similar petrol model produced by a rival.
Its figures indicate that an electric car would cost £10,572 to run over three years, not including insurance. During the same period, the Fiat 500 would only cost £9,339.
This is because, while some of the costs for an electric car are lower, others are significantly higher.
Charging the battery from a domestic supply will only cost 1p-2p per mile and electric car owners also have the advantage of not paying road tax.
Maintenance costs are usually below those of a conventional car, and from 2011 there will be a £500 government subsidy for each electric car bought here.
On the other hand, however, electric car batteries are expensive and will need replacing from time to time. Mitsubishi will only guarantee its batteries for 62,500 miles, although they are expected to partially work for 100,000 miles.
Insurance costs could well be more than for normal cars too, partly because the valuable batteries could be stolen by determined thieves.
Mitsubishi also says that the i-miev will depreciate in value by £15,000 over its first three years.
However, if you drive in London, there is one other good reason to buy an electric car: they are exempt from the congestion charge.
That could save some people £1,000 per year.
And a number of London boroughs, including Westminster, also offer electric cars free parking.
This changes the outcome of the research as Mitsubishi says those who drive into the congestion zone frequently could save a massive £5,000 over three years.
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What are all of the hybrid electric cars?
Hybrid cars are not the same as an electric car. Electric cars run on electric power exclusively, while hybrid cars use a combination of electric energy and another fuel to run.
How can electric cars can help our energy crisis in the future?
they do not require gasoline obviously, so their will be less need for petroleum. and electric cars recharge overnight for as little as $1.50 a charge, so they are also cheaper in the long run than gasoline cars
What does Singapore need to build to support electric cars?
stuff to make cars run on electric
Why do you need to switch to electric cars?
You should switch to electric cars because there cheaper to drive and they have zero emissions. The electricity created to power electric cars also is less pollutant then gasoline vehicles.
Why are electric cars becoming more popular?
The popularity in electric cars is increasing due to the cheaper costs of driving an electric car and zero emissions propulsion system that electric cars provide. As the production of them increases there popularity will get larger
What do RC cars run on?
they run on petrol,nitro or electric
Are electric cars cheaper than gas cars?
I don't think most consumers realize that fueling a car with electricity is much cheaper than fueling a car with gas
Are electric ovens cheap to run?
Electric ovens are not cheaper to run when compared to a gas oven. Though they offer more options and have better results, some people pick a gas oven because it is cheaper than an electric one.
In the future what fuel will cars be run by?
water, electric, air.
How will vehicles run if petrol is not produced?
Hybrid cars that run on batteries and gas as well as electric cars are available now. As technology improves, it is expected that these cars could become the majority of vehicles.
Do all cars run on gas?
No, some cars run on diesel or liquid propane and there are also electric cars. Some also run on biofuel made from corn or vegetable oil...
What would you use to run your cars with no fossil fuels?
We will have to run electric cars, which exist today. There is talk also of cars that run on compressed air. Hydrogen is another fuel source that will run cars if we can manufacture it cheaply enough, and store it safely in the cars.
